Sports news from Los Angeles and beyond

AEG reveals new, open design for Farmers Field

Architects of Farmers Field have redesigned the planned new Los Angeles NFL stadium, creating a lighter-appearing venue with a new deployable roof that will be used minimally.

"This makes it feel much more like a football stadium and it will not detract from a beautiful Sunday afternoon," said Tim Romani, chief executive of Icon Venue Group, which is overseeing the design.

The stadium differs from the original concept released earlier this year, adding a nearly clear covering that was used on the signature Bird's Nest at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Vacated, the deployable roof leaves "flight-like" wing coverings at the roof line to allow for increased openness.

"You couldn't do this in Minneapolis or Miami," Romani said, adding the deployable roof can be taken off and stored "in a matter of hours."

"This showcases the advantage of being in Los Angeles, how people would rather be outside or inside," said Ron Turner, principal of the project's lead architect, Gensler. "We need a symbol, a gateway. It's important for people to say, 'Wow! That's L.A.' "

The home NFL team will determine whether to leave the roof on or not, said Michael Roth, spokesman for stadium developer AEG.

Stadium builders are on target to submit an environmental impact report in January, hopeful of approval by the summer, with groundbreaking next year and the ability to play regular-season games for the 2016 season, officials said.

Farmers Field expects to bid for the Super Bowl in 2017, the game's 50th anniversary.

The planned 72,000-seat stadium is to be squeezed between Staples Center and L.A. Live and take over for a demolished West Hall of the Convention Center.

"Because of the tightness, we wanted a very light building," Turner said.

Turner has put most fans seated along the sidelines, opening the north end zone for a view of the city.

It might deprive the home team of more roaring as the opposing team drives toward the north end zone, but Turner said establishing "connectivity" to Los Angeles was important.

"It was too enclosed, I felt the original concept was too heavy," Romani said. "This building is now so airy it looks like it could take flight."